


Over Tea and Toast

by duesternis



Series: This home, with you [2]
Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, M/M, Party Planning, Post-Canon Fix-It, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, breakfast installment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:27:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29785071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duesternis/pseuds/duesternis
Summary: Francis‘ own post waited unopened by his elbow.It could wait some more, he was busy.Busy watching James‘ eyebrow climb towards his hairline, the opposite corner of his mouth lifting too, as he took up the next letter from his heap.He broke the seal on the letter with his thumb and shook it open, fork losing half its cargo of scrambled eggs.He shoved it in his mouth and frowned at his plate, scooped the rest of the egg up and hardly chewed.Francis grinned into his tea and watched James read.
Relationships: Francis Crozier/James Fitzjames
Series: This home, with you [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2187075
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	Over Tea and Toast

Francis watched James over breakfast, studying him while he read the morning paper and browsed their post, at the same time.  
Well, his post.  
Francis‘ own post waited unopened by his elbow.  
It could wait some more, he was busy.  
Busy watching James‘ eyebrow climb towards his hairline, the opposite corner of his mouth lifting too, as he took up the next letter from his heap.  
He broke the seal on the letter with his thumb and shook it open, fork losing half its cargo of scrambled eggs.  
He shoved it in his mouth and frowned at his plate, scooped the rest of the egg up and hardly chewed.  
Francis grinned into his tea and watched James read.

At one point he huffed an incredulous laugh and shook his handsome head for a bit.  
With a glance Francis recognized Dundy’s broad hand and that explained the facial journeys to some degree.  
Dundy’s letters were almost as notorious as James‘ dinner tales.  
Half exaggerated, but always the halves that one wouldn’t think are.

“Good news?”, Francis asked as he poured himself a fresh cup of tea and James put down the letter, turning to the next.  
The newspaper was quite forgotten.  
“Oh, the usual. Dundy gets into trouble with Lottie, they fight, he apologizes, she tuts, the children laugh at them both and all is well in the end. They shall be in London end of the month.”  
“They should come by for dinner or tea. Whatever suits them best.”  
Francis knew that James would smile at him beautifully before he even extended the gruff invitation.

He did it half for that smile alone.  
Dundy and his family were a bit much for Francis, even on a good day.  
But James didn’t begrudge him visits with Blanky or Ross, so Francis was not about to begrudge visits from James‘ friends.  
It’s not as if they were often called upon.  
“Oh, I think tea would suit best, you know how Dundy loves his sweets. Dinner will just have him waiting for pudding, worse than any child either of us know.”  
James smiled and reached over the table to squeeze Francis‘ hand.  
Their fingers tangled and Francis held one for a long while.

Mailladh humming off tune in the hallway made them let go with fond smiles and James went back to his post.  
He was a veritable fiend to pen and paper, holding correspondence with dozen of people at the same time with ease.  
Francis struggled, sometimes, to finish writing a single letter.  
Blanky, God bless the man, knew to expect nothing, which only made every letter they did exchange all the sweeter.  
And if Ross had thought him tardy in his writing he would simply sent a note to ask Francis over for tea or lunch or what not.  
Or he would impose on them at home with the charm of a wrecking ball, much to James‘ chagrin.  
He so loved to host properly and Ross almost never gave indication.

Francis smirked, reminded of the last dinner James had hosted from their house.  
A reunion of sorts, for all those that they had reached.  
The house had been quite merry with song and cheer and no one had bothered with uniforms.  
No one but James, who had been decked out in full dress.  
Everyone had expected nothing less but a performance from their dear Captain Fitzjames and laughter had rung high among the candles in the chandelier.  
It was a very fond memory.  
James looked up from his letter and met Francis‘ eye.  
“You’re smiling, Francis dear.” A soft awe played around James‘ crooked smile.  
“Thinking of your last dinner party, my love.”

James laughed and put the letter aside, the page filled from top to bottom with Doctor Goodsir's round hand.  
“Oh, that was indeed a party! I thought we could maybe have everyone over for New Year’s, if they don’t have other plans. What do you think? London is quite enjoyable during the festivities.”  
Francis leaned back, one eyebrow raised and his tea cup cradled over his chest.  
“We haven’t room for them all, and not all of them can afford London housing for a few days. Hell, it feels like we can barely afford London housing.”  
“Francis! Come on, we’ll make do! We’re all sailors! We’ll sleep two to a berth and the floor is good enough. We have bedding and couches for a regiment.”

Francis laughed and sipped his tea.  
Who was he to say no?  
“Write your guest list, I’ll approve it with some adjustments, probably.”  
James grinned and snapped a salute.  
“Aye-aye, sir. You’ll have it on your desk before lunch.”

They laughed together and Francis turned to his own post, James returning to his own letters.  
If Francis survived Dundy over for tea, then a New Year’s party would be manageable too.

And if it made James happy, then it was just as well.


End file.
